This invention relates generally to means for providing a curtailment of fluid passage through a flow line, and particularly at that instance when a severance occurs in the line, at that moment when a loss of fluid may be encountered, or at a moment when a reversal of flow occurs. The invention is especially important when applied in a fuel line, and functions as a check valve to prevent fuel flow under particular conditions.
There are an infinite number of valve means in he prior art that provide for a shut off of fluid or other fuel flow, and more particularly, such mechanisms normally are utilized in flow lines where fuel may be flowing, and generally in those situations when the conduit comprises the fuel line leading from a gasoline dispenser to its nozzle. For example, as can be seen in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,545, a poppet valve having a conical surface is disposed for seating upon a valve seat when breakage occurs between the various body components making up the plug and socket of the shown valve. While the particular unit as shown may be successful for curtailing the discharge of any fluid, or fuel, in the event that the vehicle, as shown therein in its figure should drive off with the dispensing nozzle remaining within its fuel tank, the major problem encountered with this style of break-away safety valve is that the poppet valve forming the conical surface of the valve is quite large in size, and as can be so easily seen, is exceeding obstructive to the normal flow of fuel through its tubular body, as disclosed. This is a feature that is very objectionable with respect to the type of break-away safety valve as disclosed, and as currently available in the art. A recently issued Pat. No. 4,617,975, discloses a tension actuated uncoupler, that fits within a fuel flow line, but which utilizes a series of detent balls and circumferential spring means for holding the coupler together, and which when disconnected, can then be reinserted back into connection for reusage. In addition, the valve means itself comprises a rather distinctly shaped check valve member which apparently slides longitudinally, into closure, when the device is uncoupled. There are a great variety of other types of hose couplers, employed in the art, as can be seen in the U.S. Pat. No. 2,777,716, to Gray, showing a socket type hose coupler with reciprocating detent. Another form of quick disconnect coupler and safety check valve is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,219, to Crawford. In addition to the foregoing, the patent to Shames, U.S. Pat. No. 4,070,003, also discloses a coupler with automatic shut off, but once again, as can be seen, the sealing means provided therein is of substantial size, and causes significant disruption to the normal flow of fluid through the coupler. In other words, shut off is obtained at the expense of normal and routine fuel flow. Another type of valve assembly is shown in the United States patent to Morrison, U.S. Pat. No. 4,307,744. An additional form of break-away safety valve is shown in the United States patent to Gayle, U.S. Pat. No. 4,064,889, wherein there is incorporated a ball valve which prevents the discharge of gasoline vapors in the event that a break occurs. Another type of disk valve of the foregoing style is the break-away coupling shown in the United States patent to Mount, U.S. Pat. No. 2,906,280, wherein a separation of its coupling means causes a valve head to lineally shift into closure. A related type of device is shown in the safety disconnect valve described in the patent to Tsiguloff, U.S. Pat. No. 2,898,926.
More attuned to the current invention is the break-away coupling assembly disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,822, to Wilhelm, in addition to the U.S. Pat. No. 4,119,111, to Allread. Furthermore, pertinent are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,921,656 and 4,090,524, relating to dual valved breakaway fittings. These devices incorporate, what would appear to be, flapper type valve means for entering into closure in the event that disconnection or separation should occur.
It is, therefore, the principal object of the current invention to provide a butterfly and related valve in the form of valve means within a hose coupling, particularly useful in the fuel dispensing art, and which butterfly valve(s) are normally aligned the length of the fuel passage, as when maintained in opened condition, disposing their thinnest dimension thereat, so as to cause little or no obstruction to the natural and normal flow of fuel through the line, but on the other hand, when a disconnection occurs, the butterfly valves are urged either by fluid pressure or through spring biasing means to snap actively into closure, preventing any further flow of fuel through the flow line.
Another object of this invention is to provide a butterfly valve, or a pair of such valves, within a coupling means interconnected within a fluid flow line, such as a gasoline fuel line, and which disk of the valve need only pivot approximately a 90.degree. dimension to effect a full and complete closure of the flow line, and to assure an immediate discontinuance in the further passage of fuel therethrough.
Another object of this invention is to provide means for functioning in cooperation with the disk valve of a butterfly valve, and which means acts simultaneously to either hold the valve into its desired open disposition, or to immediately urge it into instantaneous closure as such becomes a necessity.
Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a valve disk mounted to its valve retainer through the agency of particularly designed projections and which naturally tend to motivate the valve into closure upon release of its normally retained disk in the event that a decoupling should occur within the fuel flow line in which the invention mounts.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a pair of such butterfly valves within a fuel dispensing line, and within proximity of its dispensing nozzle, so that should a separation occur, as a result of a vehicle driving off with the dispensing nozzle still inserted within its fuel tank, each butterfly valve will instantly snap into closure, thereby preventing further flow of fuel from the dispenser, and in addition, prevent any backflow of fuel from the nozzle.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a uniquely positioned valve disk for a butterfly valve and wherein the flow of fluid in one direction causes the valve to move into closure, but yet a movement of the fluid in an opposite direction causes the same valve to immediately open.
In addition, in view of the foregoing, another object of the current invention is to provide a valve or check valve that may have usage in the medical field, as for example for providing a form of valve that may be incorporated into a mechanical heart, or as the replacement of a defective mitral valve in the human heart or other valve in the cardio-vascular system.
Yet another object of this particular invention is to provide a valve, which may also be used as a check valve, and which may be applied for application in various industries, such as in the shipping industry, and marine industry, for preventing further flow of materials in the event that breakage may occur in the conduit utilized for loading or unloading of material from the vehicles or vessels.
Another object of this invention is to provide a check valve to be used in conjunction with a loading conduit, and which may have application in transporting various types of fluids, even in the category of a grain, or other freely moving related materials.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a valve design incorporated in a pipe connection having a fitting on its downstream end and designed to break away upon exposure to a predetermined external force, such action releasing the valve disk to immediately close, and thereby prevent the escape of any fluid therefrom. The closure of the valve may be achieved more forcefully through the assistance of a spring means or the like that normally bias against the valve disk, and immediately urge it into closure as the disk is released from its retaining means.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a butterfly valve for a fuel flow line and which may be incorporated within the swivel connector for a fuel dispensing nozzle.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a butterfly valve for a breakaway coupling and which may be formed of various material such as steel, polymer, rubber, aluminum, as may be required to meet the specifications for the particular application.
Another aspect of this invention is to provide a butterfly valve means, for use in a break-away coupling assembly, applied in a fuel line, preferably at the location of its nozzle, and which incorporates a plurality of passages, one for the near unobstructed and free flow of fuel from the dispenser to its nozzle, and thence to the vehicle, while a second, and generally concentrically arrange passage provides for the conduct of vapor, in the vapor recovery style of fuel dispensing system.
These and other objects will become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the summary of this invention, and upon undertaking a study of the description of its preferred embodiment, in view of the drawings.